Trigger mechanism



L. A. SKINNER Sept. 4, 1934.

TRIGGER MECHANISM Filed June 22, 1933 l INVENTOR. Leslie A Eklrmer BY h/W.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1934 1-Niles :PATENTQFFICEP f 1,912,113 ,I ,Y TRIGGER MseHANirsM I VLeslie. f-SkinneryIJn-ted lStates rmy, y l' Aberdeen `Proving Ground, Md. Y

Application Y:um 22', 1933, serial No. 677,076 is'elaim's.' (o1. 42s9) (Granted under thefact of' March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. 01.757)

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without'the payment to me of any royalty thereon.- l

This invention relates to a trigger mechanism f The purpose of this invention' is toV providea trigger which cannot be denitely engaged-by.

the nger but whichmayl be actuated by a lperfectly natural iiectionof thenger. The end to beattained is the elimination of jerking, inchiing, and the necessity for practicing the trigger squeeze. v

The improved trigger consists broadly of a pair V15, of spaced members, one of which isA a sear` actuating member, mounted to yield upon passage between them of the nger o f an' operator.'

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement' and com' bination of elements described hereinafter vand pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specication. l y

A` practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Fig. 1 is Aa View partly in side elevation and partly in section showing the improved trigger mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modied form of trigger.

Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown a rie of the Springfield type having the conventional g firing pin 5, sear 6, and sear spring 7 and a modied sear lever 8 and trigger guard 9.

The trigger mechanism consists of a pair of spaced movable members, specically balls 10 and 11, between which the finger is moved.

4U The upper ball 10 is carried in a socket 12 secured to the upper part of the guard 9 as by screws 13 and extends into the receiver of the gun. A plunger having a head 14 engaging the ball and a stem 15 projecting through the base 16 of the socket to engage the sear lever 8, is acted on by a spring 17 which normally tends to hold the ball against the lip 18 of the socket and to release pressure of the stem on the sear lever.

The lower ball 11 is carried in a socket 19 that 50 is adjustablymounted in the bow of the trigger guard so that the distance between the two balls may be regulated to accommodate the nger of the operator. One method of obtaining this adjustable mounting is to provide the socket with T threads 20 whereby it is engageable by a nut 21.

The nut is preferably inserted from the inside of the guard into an aperture 22 inthe bow of the guard and includes acollar 23 adapted to engage the inner side of the bow. A ring 24 secured to the nut as-by screws 25 -is adapted to engage the outer side-of the bow. The nut is thus free to rotate but is constrained against displacement relative yto the guard.

'Il'iegball i1 is held against the lip 26 oi the" socket. bymeans of a spring 27. The plug 2S threaded in the socket forms a seat for the spring 27 and enables the tension of the spring to be adjusted. The spring 27 is approximately equal strength tolthe springs 7 and 17. When desired the' sear lever spring 7 may be used solelyto hold the ball 10' against the lip of its socket, and

Y vThe socket 19 includes a plate 29 which forms a- Y restand guide for the finger of the operatorv and has arecess or slot 30 in its rear end for receiving a rib '31 on the trigger guard.' This provision constrains the socket to axial displacement when the nut is'rotated.

AIn operationthe finger of the operator is i-r1` serted'through vthe trigger guard inthe usual manner and engages the forward sides of the balls 10 and ll. Upon flexing the linger, the balls are caused to revolve and yield to the passage of the finger. 'I'he consequent displacement of the upper ball 10 acts either directly or through interposed motion transmitting members, to disengage the sear from the ring pin. The nger cannot denitely engage the balls as it does the usual trigger. As a result muscular tension will be eased and there will not be an impulse to jerk and inch and thereby cause the muzzle of the iirearm to be deflected from its intended line. In conducting training in marksmanship it will not be necessary to have the student practice the trigger squeeze because the only requirement is a perfectly natural movement of the finger without the conscious opposition of the conventional trigger.

While the invention has been illustrated as employing freely revolving balls it is to be clearly understood that one or both of the balls may be replaced by a resilient member as indicated at 32 in Fig. 3.

, I claim:

1. In a trigger mechanism for firearms, a supcri port, a pair of spaced balls carried by the support and mounted to yield upon passage of the finger of an operator, said balls mounted for displacement and freely revolvable, a Sear adapted to be moved through one of the balls, a sear spring, a spring resiliently supporting the other ball and having approximately the same strength as the sear spring.

2. In a trigger mechanism for firearms, a support, a pair of spaced balls carried by the support and mounted to yield in opposite directions upon passage between them of the :linger of an operator, said balls mounted for displacement, a Sear adapted to be moved through one of the balls, a seai spring, a spring resiliently supporting the other ball and having approximately the same strength as the sear spring.

3. In a trigger mechanism for firearms, a support, a pair of spaced balls carried by the support and mounted to yield upon passage of the linger ofv an operator, said balls mounted for displacement and freely revolvable, a sear adapted to be moved through one of the balls, a sear spring, a spring resiliently supporting the other ball.

4. In a trigger mechanism for firearms, a support, a pair of spaced balls carriedby tlie sup- Dort and mounted toyield in opposite directionsupon passage between themL of the ngers of an operator, said balls mounted for displacement, a sear adapted to be moved through one of the balls, a sear spring, a spring resiliently supporting the other ball.

' 5. In a trigger mechanism for rearms, a support, a pair of spaced balls carried by the support and mounted to yield upon passage between them of the linger of an operator, said balls being freely revolvable, and a firing member associated with only one of said balls.

6. In a trigger mechanism ,for irearms, a support, a pair of spaced balls carried by the support and mounted to'yield upon passage between them of the iinger of an operator, and a iring member associated with only one Vof said balls.

7. In a trigger mechanism for firearms, a support, a pair of Yspaced members carried by the support and mounted to yield upon passage between them of the finger of an operator, resilient means of approximately equal strength for holding the members in normal nger-engagng position, and means for displacing'one of the members and its resilient means to adjust the spacing between the members.

8. In a trigger mechanism for firearms, a support, a pair of spaced members carried by the support and mounted to yield upon passage between them of the finger of an operator, resilient means for holding the members in normal finger-engaging position, and means for displacing one of the members and its resilient means to adjust the spacing between the members.

9. In a trigger mechanism for firearms, a support, a pair of spaced members carried by the Vassociated with only one of said yielding members.

11. In a trigger mechanism for firearms, a support, a pair of spaced members carried by the support and mounted to yield upon passage between them ofthe iingerl of an operator, and a firing member associated with only one of said yielding members.' Y

12. In a trigger mechanism for firearms, aY support, a nut carried Yby the support and restrictedto rotationalmovement, a socket threadedly carried by the nut, and a linger rest and guide` on the socket and engageable with Athe support whereby it is restricted to axial displacement, aball carried by the socket, and a sear actuating member spaced from the ball and mounted to yield upon passage of the iingerl of an operator. 1

13. In a trigger mechanism for iireai'ms, a support, a. ball carried by the support'and mounted to yield when engaged by the upper portion -Vof the finger of ali-operator, and a member spaced from the ball and mounted to yield when engaged by the lower portion of the iinger of tlieoperator.

LEsLiE A. SKINNER. 

